A MOTORCYLE instructor who teaches near the scene of a crash that critically injured an underage rider today claimed several York schools ignored her offer of a talk on safe biking.

Rachael Nicholas, owner and senior instructor of York Motorcycle Training School, in Yarburgh Way, Hull Road, claims there is a chance the crash could have been prevented if the schools had accepted the free talk. The accident, which happened late last month, involved a collision between the 14-year-old biker and a car in Hull Road.

The teenager was left with multiple fractures to both legs, a broken lower jaw and other facial injuries. Although he was riding the motorbike illegally there has been no suggestion it was stolen.

His condition was today said to be comfortable. Ms Nicholas said: "I couldn't believe it when they weren't interested. I called in personally and wrote to six secondary schools and five didn't even bother to respond.

"A lot of teenagers buy themselves a moped when they turn 16, and some don't take their compulsory basic training (CBT).

"There are also quite a few who ride motorcycles on private land before turning 16.

"I wanted to tell them about CBT, about being aware of what is around you on the roads and the various dangers.

"I was really surprised when I got no takers. If that young lad had had some CBT it (the crash) might not have happened."

Ms Nicholas claims the one school that responded was Manor School, in Low Poppleton Lane, Acomb, where staff told her road safety education was already in place.

John Thompson, head teacher at Lowfield School, in Acomb, said he had "no recollection" of the talk being offered.

The school received many requests from people asking to give talks and it had to find appropriate slots to accommodate them, he said.

Mr Thompson added: "The big thing we do here is have the North Yorkshire Police Impact Roadshow to talk about road safety issues. We make sure the right message is put across."

A spokeswoman for Millthorpe School said the school was unable to remember Ms Nicholas's offer.

No one was available for comment at the other three schools, which were All Saints', which has sites in Nunnery Lane and Mill Mount Lane, Oaklands, in Acomb, and Archbishop Holgate's, in Hull Road.

lPolice are appealing for witnesses after a pillion passenger suffered serious shoulder injuries when a motorcycle lurched into a field near Scarborough.

The accident happened in Field Lane yesterday afternoon, when the rider of the Kawasaki 500cc machine lost control and went through a hedge and into the field.

The rider suffered only minor injuries but the passenger, a 23-year-old local man, received serious shoulder injuries. Both were taken to Scarborough District Hospital.

Updated: 11:48 Wednesday, November 20, 2002